The Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) was established by cable television network operators to facilitate transporting data traffic, primarily Internet traffic, over existing community antenna television (CATV) networks. In addition to transporting data traffic, as well as television content signals over a CATV network, multiple services operators (MSO) also use their CATV network infrastructure for carrying voice, video on demand (VoD) and video conferencing traffic signals, among other types.
The number of services provided through the MSO over a hybrid fiber-cable (HFC) network can lead to overloading of the network. Video traffic in particular can be especially burst oriented, thereby tending to overload the network. Current methods for dealing with network overload include delay packets within a jitter buffer by selecting packets for buffering based upon the percentage at which a flow is using an associated maximum traffic rate. While this method is equitable, it may lead to excessively delayed packets on latency sensitive transmissions.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.